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News Briefs for December 7, 2017

•Casella Family Brands has acquired Australian winery Baileys of Glenrowan from Treasury Wine Estates for an undisclosed sum. The deal includes the cellar door, winery, 144 hectares (355 acres) of vineyards in the Warby Ranges of Glenrowan, Victoria, and the Baileys of Glenrowan and Bundarra Farm brands. Casella, which produces Yellow Tail—the top imported wine brand in the U.S.—said the move is in line with its strategy to expand in the premium segment of the wine market. For TWE, the divestiture is part of an ongoing initiative to streamline its supply chain. In the U.S., TWE sold its former Blossom Hill Winery to DFV earlier this year, and Sonoma’s Asti Winery to E.&J. Gallo in 2015.

•Republic National Distributing Co. (RNDC) has agreed to form a new joint venture with Central Liquor Co. in Oklahoma, effective October 1, 2018. The joint venture, which has yet to be named, will operate out of a 406,000-square foot automated distribution facility in centrally-located Oklahoma City. The two companies say the move will allow for efficient distribution of wine, spirits and beer to all of Oklahoma’s 77 counties as the state moves to a three-tier system from a four-tier system. Central Liquor is owned by the Naifeh family. RNDC has been partnered with the company through its brokerage operation in the state since 2004. RNDC announced plans to merge with fellow wholesale giant Breakthru Beverage in recent weeks.